0 Post a comment Google’s ad practices are under scrutiny in the European Union. James Martin/CNET Ireland’s data protection watchdog has launched an investigation into Google’s collection of personal data for the purpose of online advertising.”A statutory inquiry pursuant to section 110 of the Data Protection Act 2018 has been commenced in respect of Google Ireland Limited’s processing of personal data in the context of its online Ad Exchange,” the Data Protection Commission said in a statement Wednesday.Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.The DPC, one of the lead authorities over Google in the European Union, wants to know whether the search giant’s “processing of personal data carried out at each stage of an advertising transaction” is in compliance with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. The GDPR is a sweeping law that gives residents of the European Union more control over their personal data and seeks to clarify rules for online services.The DPC inquiry follows a complaint filed in Europe in September by privacy-focused browser maker Brave that says Google violates GDPR by broadcasting personal information to companies bidding to show targeted ads. At the time, Google denied any wrongdoing.On Wednesday, Johnny Ryan, Brave’s chief policy and industry relations officer, said the DPC inquiry signals a change is coming that goes beyond just Google. “We need to reform online advertising to protect privacy, and to protect advertisers and publishers from legal risk under the GDPR,” Ryan said in a blog post.The EU probe comes as consumers, lawmakers and regulators take a harder look at how tech companies collect and use their personal information. Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal last year brought data collection issues to the forefront. Google has also been criticized for its wide-scale data operation and the way its location history settings could mislead consumers with its disclosures. In response, Google and Facebook have both begun to preach the virtues of privacy. Earlier this month, Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a New York Times op-ed that privacy “should not be a luxury good.” He continued, “We’re also working hard to challenge the assumption that products need more data to be more helpful.”Google also pushed a privacy message at its Marketing Live summit last week in San Francisco, where the search giant addressed more than 5,000 advertisers and partners in its ad network. Prabhakar Raghavan, Google’s senior vice president of advertising and commerce, said that even though the company collects lots of user information to improve its products, Google should use “as little of that data as possible over time” for ad targeting.”Whoever’s leading the market [in five years] will be the ones who are actually the most trusted,” Raghavan told CNET. “If we can maintain that trust, then we can remain a market leader. If we don’t, it’s a question.”Originally published May 22, 11:27 a.m. PT.Update, 11:44 a.m. PT and 12:32 p.m PT: Adds more background. Tags Security GDPR Privacy Google Share your voiceread more

.Shadow minister Tulip Siddiq has resigned from the Labour frontbench, telling the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, that she could not reconcile herself to the party’s three-line whip to vote for triggering article 50.In her letter to Corbyn, the shadow minister for early years said voting to start the process of leaving the EU would be a betrayal of her north London constituents, three-quarters of whom voted to remain in the EU, reports The Guardian.“I have always been clear – I do not represent Westminster in Hampstead and Kilburn, I represent Hampstead and Kilburn in Westminster,” Siddiq wrote in her resignation letter. “I feel that the most effective place for me to counter Theresa May’s hard Brexit is from the backbenches.”Siddiq said she had made the final decision to resign after Corbyn confirmed to the shadow cabinet on Thursday morning that Labour MPs would be expected to back the article 50 bill and a three-line whip would be imposed. “I do not support the triggering of article 50 and cannot reconcile myself to the frontbench position,” she wrote in her letter to Corbyn.Siddiq was first elected in May 2015 with a majority of just 1,138, and appointed to the Labour frontbench in Corbyn’s reshuffle following his reelection in September.About 75% of Siddiq’s constituents voted remain in the EU referendum. Her Hampstead and Kilburn seat is a tight three-way marginal and in 2010 her predecessor, Glenda Jackson, had the smallest majority in the country, with just 42 votes more than her Conservative rival.The Lib Dems also have a strong presence, with their candidate in third place on just 841 fewer votes than Jackson in 2010.In her resignation letter to Corbyn, Siddiq wrote: “Leaving the European Union presents enormous uncertainty for my constituents, with most believing that the disadvantages of leaving outweigh any potential benefits. Many still don’t have firm guarantees that their residential rights will be protected after Brexit.”Siddiq said she had real concerns about giving the government the nod to proceed with leaving the EU without guarantees on membership of security agencies, environmental or employment rights.The MP said she understood Corbyn had a difficult job as leader and “it is not my intention to cause more complications” but added she believed that Corbyn would understand her commitment to her constituents. “We are both united in our values of fairness, social justice and equality and I know you, above everyone else, will recognise my commitment to my local constituents,” she wrote.“I will look carefully at amendments brought to the debate, consider them in their own right and work constructively to develop such guarantees. I support Keir Starmer and my Labour colleagues, and know they are working to get the best deal for Britain throughout this process.”Corbyn told Sky News on Thursday the bill was “clearly a three-line whip”, but acknowledged it would be difficult for some MPs.“I fully understand the pressures and issues that members are under, those who represent leave constituencies and those who represent remain constituencies. Labour is in the almost unique position of having MPs representing constituencies in both directions, and very strongly in both directions.”The government is to allow the Commons five days to debate the bill triggering article 50, it said on Thursday, prompting some MPs to complain this was insufficient time to scrutinise the legislation.read more